Black Bear Airsoft V3 Rampage Mesh Mask

Introduction:
Next up in our exclusive review series of Black Bear Airsoft's mesh mask series is the V3 Rampage mask, one of their full face masks. This mask offers full face mesh protection, to be supplemented with inner shooting glasses or outer goggles for full seal eye protection of course. The mask is similar in style to a fencing mask, and offers full coverage of the front of your face,and extending coverage almost back to your ears. It is available in a wide range of colors and patterns from ACM Gear, and I'll be discussing all of the pros and cons of this setup in this review!

Ordering:
Like the rest of the BBA mask series, I received this mask directly through ACM Gear, who is currently the main distributor of their line-up. The line is available HERE, priced between $32.99 and $42.99, depending on the pattern and color chosen. Currently, it's available in Tan, OD, Black, ACU, Flecktarn, Marpat, Woodland, and Multicam, and occasionally in a custom painted skull pattern being reviewed today.

Basic Information:
The Rampage mask features a cordura main body with a high strength steel powdercoated mesh front portion. It uses a dual strap retaining system coupled with an extended back piece of cordura to hold it securely to your head. The mesh provides the main strength for the unit, but it retains enough flexibility to be molded to fit your face and desired eye protection. In my case, I wear my prescription glasses with polycarbonate lenses to prevent any particles from hitting my eyes.

First impressions/Packaging:
Packaging on my masks consisted of a simple plastic bag, but on the retail obtained masks, they will be packaged in a cardboard box to keep it safe during shipping. My first impression of the mask was how similar in design it was to a Matrix mask that I reviewed earlier, until I really looked at them side by side, and realized how much higher quality the BBA mask was vs. the Matrix mask. The mesh, fabric, and even the buckles were higher quality on the Black Bear mask, and that's not even considering the awesome paintjob on the Woodland and Skull masks.

Mask Details:
I've already discussed the main design of this mask, so I won't bore you with the details again here, however, I will go over the various aspects of this mask that separate it from other masks on the market.

From this point on, click on the thumbnails to see the full size images.
Skull mask straight on view
Multicam
Woodland

As you can see in the pictures, the mask does offer full face protection for the front and top of your head, extending back to the base of your skull. The cheek pieces are flexible enough to maintain a great cheek weld with most rifles, and they're made out of high quality cordura for durability.

Profile shot of mask, showing cheek protection

Inside the mask, you'll find a mesh fabric with slight padding inside to keep it comfortably secure on your face without being hot or uncomfortable with extended use. The fabric used is breathable and the edges have a rounded seam with reinforcing stitching for durability. It is a little bit tight in the mouth area, but you can bend it out to fit your face more comfortably. Inside, there is enough room for most low profile wraparound shooting glasses, or you can bend it out a bit for wider framed glasses.

View of the back, showing the inner cheek pieces
Inner mesh material

The back piece extends down from the very top of the mask to the base of your skull, and acts as a mounting piece for the two buckles. The straps used are an elastic material, and are color matched for the chosen color. All of the models have black polymer buckles on the elastic straps that are riveted to the cheek pieces with BBA marked rivets.

Riveted straps

The overall material quality used is quite high, with the mesh made of powdercoated steel that is thicker than the mesh used on some other masks I've tried. On the skull and woodland masks, paint is applied in a complimentary pattern to make the mask look great. A Cordura tag can be found on the extended back piece, indicating that it is genuine Cordura fabric.

Mesh close-up
Cordura tags
High quality stitching

Overall, the mask quality is great, and the design offers great protection. This same mesh material survived my torture testing with no ill effects. We even shot this mask point blank with a 40mm grenade shell filled with 108 BBs, with someone wearing it and there were no issues. The only issue that users have reported to me are that it's hard to fit certain glasses designs underneath it, but low profile wrap around shooting glasses work just fine. Alternatively, you can fit some full seal goggles over the mask and get the same full protection.

Pros:
Full face protection in a lightweight easy to wear package
Available in a wide range of colors and patterns
Extremely high quality materials are used in the construction of these masks
Breathable inner fabric and mesh prevents goggles and glasses from fogging
Very unique and intimidating look
Affordable price – Sub $40

Cons:
Requires goggles or glasses for full eye protection
May be uncomfortable for some glasses users
Can get a little hot if you sit in one place without moving

Overall:
This mask is one of my favorites in the entire BBA line-up, because it has a unique and intimidating look, combined with heavy duty materials to give you great protection. This mask is great for CQB or outdoor use, as it can take hits from anything on the field and prevent injury. When combined with the right complementary eyewear, you can have a system that gives you full protection while keeping you comfortable and looking good.

Many thanks again to ACM Gear, and of course, Airsoft Retreat! Also, thanks to joker8baller and the entire crew at Wasteland Airsoft for their testing experiences!